Edwardsville Mayor Hal Patton talks to supporters at his campaign headquarters Tuesday night in Edwardsville. Patton, running as a member of the newly-found Downstate United Party, lost to Democratic candidate Rachelle Aud Crowe for the seat of retiring state Sen. Bill Haine, of Alton, in his first bid for the state Senate’s 56th District seat Tuesday.

Edwardsville Mayor Hal Patton talks to supporters at his campaign headquarters Tuesday night in Edwardsville. Patton, running as a member of the newly-found Downstate United Party, lost to Democratic candidate

Edwardsville Mayor Hal Patton talks to supporters at his campaign headquarters Tuesday night in Edwardsville. Patton, running as a member of the newly-found Downstate United Party, lost to Democratic candidate Rachelle Aud Crowe for the seat of retiring state Sen. Bill Haine, of Alton, in his first bid for the state Senate’s 56th District seat Tuesday.

Edwardsville Mayor Hal Patton talks to supporters at his campaign headquarters Tuesday night in Edwardsville. Patton, running as a member of the newly-found Downstate United Party, lost to Democratic candidate

EDWARDSVILLE — Edwardsville Mayor Hal Patton fell short in his first bid for the state Senate’s 56th District seat Tuesday.

Patton, running as a member of the newly-found Downstate United Party, lost to Democratic candidate Rachelle Aud Crowe for the seat of retiring state Sen. Bill Haine of Alton. Aud Crowe received 40,567 of the votes cast, edging Patton who received 29,467 votes.

Around 9:40 p.m. with a crowd of 60 supporters inside his Edwardsville headquarters, Patton thanked all in attendance for their hard work over the last year and unwavering support.

“We put our best effort together. It was a great team. We met a lot of people and I thought the interactions were fantastic. I hope the state can overcome some of the challenges that we are facing, and I really hope there can be some progress in Springfield. My ultimate goal for running was to be able to make a difference,” Patton said.

The loss for Patton comes after he successfully filed as a third-party candidate in June. Originally running as a Republican, Patton was knocked off the ballot when a Cook County Circuit Court ruled he signed a petition for state Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville. State law prohibits a person from signing petitions for different parties.

“There were a lot of challenges with this particular race and some of them were self-inflicted. In the end, you try to overcome that with hard work and I thought we had done a great job with the hard work part. I really don’t have any regrets and I can’t fault anything that we had in terms of that output,” Patton said. “Congratulations to Rachelle in winning, and I hope she does a great job for us as state senator.”

Patton, a lifelong Edwardsville resident, graduated from Edwardsville High School in 1986. He graduated from Centenary College in 1990 and the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry in 1994.

Patton was elected Edwardsville’s 26th mayor in 2013. He ran unopposed for his second term last year.

Now, Patton turns his focus back to leading Edwardsville.

“I know we are in very good shape as a community. If I could have taken that success we have had here to the state level and helped other communities in the area, that was really my ultimate goal,” Patton said. “We will refocus back on the community and work on those projects that have yet to be finished. I’m excited about those.”

Crowe is a prosecutor in the Violent Crimes Unit of the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office.

“I am deeply grateful for the faith and trust that the voters of the 56th District have given me today,” Crowe said in a statement. “Throughout the campaign, I have met thousands of ordinary working people who have legitimate concerns about their own future and the future of our region. “As their state Senator, I’m determined to continue to engage with my Metro East neighbors and bring their voice to Springfield.

“Hal Patton was a challenging opponent. I appreciate his graciousness when he called to concede the election. I’ll work with him and all local officials to strengthen the prosperity and opportunities for the entire district.

“Finally, the residents of the 56th District owe a debt of gratitude to retiring Sen. Bill Haine. It is a tremendous honor to have this opportunity to continue his tradition of public service. Again, thank you.”

The state Senate race was less contentious than the race for representative, with Crowe and Patton largely running on their own credentials. Crowe touted her experience in the courtroom and with Madison County’s Drug Court Program, while Patton ran on job creation and his time serving the city and county in elected roles.